Bruno Ganz was an acclaimed personality of German-language films & television. He made his acting debut on stage (1961), earning a name in next 2 decades. His first screen appearance was in Swiss comedy-film ‘The Man in the Black Derby’ (1960); however, he did not find immediate success on screen.
Ganz’s early notable movies include ‘Chikita’ (1961), drama-film ‘Der Sanfte Lauf’ (1967), ‘Lumiere’ (1976), and ‘Sommergaste/Summer Guest’ (1976), which was his breakthrough movie fetching recognition in Europe and US.
Ganz’s role as terminally ill frame-maker ‘Jonathan Zimmermann,’ co-starring with Dennis Hopper, in German neo-noir film ‘The American Friend’ (1977) brought in more fame. He appeared alongside Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier in British-American thriller ‘The Boys from Brazil’ (1978), and with Klaus Kinski in ‘Nosferatu: the Vampyre’ (1979).
In German fantasy-film ‘Wings of Desire’ (1987) and sequel ‘Faraway, So Close’ (1993) Ganz played ‘Angel Damiel.’ He essayed a ‘Count’ in French-Italian film ‘The Lady of the Camellias’ (1981) and further featured in anti-war film ‘Circle of Deceit’ (1981), Italian-Swiss drama-film about a disgruntled bank-employee ‘Bankomatt’ (1989), ‘Strapless’ (1989), Oscar-nominated Icelandic-film ‘Children of Nature’ (1991), two British-films ‘Prague’ (1992) and ‘Saint-Ex’ (1997), Greek-film ‘Eternity & a Day’ (1998), as lead in romantic-comedy ‘Bread & Tulips’ (2000), historical drama-film ‘Luther’ (2003) and political-thriller ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (2004).
Ganz’s enthralling portrayal of ‘Adolf Hitler’ in Oscar-nominated German-language historical war-drama film ‘Der Untergang/Downfall’ (2004) earned him several nominations and widespread global acclaim.
Further, Ganz played ‘Grandfather’ in drama-film ‘Vitus’ (2006), then appeared as Professor in Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Youth Without Youth’ (2007), and also, in romantic-drama film ‘The Reader’ (2008). After appearing in ‘Stairway to Nowhere’ (2008), he played German police-officer Horst Herold in ‘The Baader Meinhof Complex’ (2008), the protagonist in biographical-film ‘The End is My Beginning’ (2010), a ‘Staci’ officer in action-thriller ‘Unknown’ (2011).
Ganz also featured in drama-film ‘Night Train to Lisbon’ (2013), French-German film ‘The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas’ (2013), crime-thriller ‘The Counselor’ (2013). He co-starred alongside Christopher Plummer in drama-thriller ‘Remember’ (2015), as ‘Grandpa’ in Swiss family-film ‘Heidi’ (2015), as ‘Gottfried’ in British black-comedy ‘The Party’ (2017), as ancient poet ‘Virgil’ in horror-film ‘The House that Jack Built’ (2018). His final film appearances were in epic historical drama-film ‘A Hidden Life’ and ‘Winter Journey’ (both 2019).
Downfall is a historical war drama film, in which Traudl Junge, the final secretary to Adolf Hitler, narrates the final days of Hitler in his Berlin bunker. The film shows how Hitler is upset by betrayals by several of his officers. Meanwhile, his mistress Eva Braun, is upset over his emotional distance from her.
Damiel and Cassiel are two angels who are gliding through the streets of Berlin, while observing its population. Damiel soon falls for a lonely trapeze artist named Marion, and wishes to experience life in the physical world. He soon learns that although it might be possible to become a human, there is no guarantee that he will be able to locate her, or that she will have the same feelings for him.
Jonathan Harker, estate agent from Wismar, travels to Count Dracula’s castle to sell him a property in Wismar. Encouraged by a portrait of Jonathan’s wife, Lucy, Dracula agrees and reaches Wismar bringing along death and plague. As he longs to end his loneliness with Lucy’s love, she realizes that only a pure-heart woman like her can put an end to Dracula’s horror.
Adapted from a popular play, this tragic drama revolves around the relationship between a mother, a daughter, and an ego-maniacal father, who never approves of anything done by his daughter.
Tom earns a living by dealing in forged art, but in order to earn some extra cash, he decides to take part in a murder plot. All he needs to do is find a potential gunman who will not talk. He soon meets Jonathan, who seems to be the perfect choice, as he is dying from cancer and wants to leave an inheritance for his family.
In the 1950s Germany, a young Michael Berg has a passionate affair with a much older woman, Hanna Schmitz. The affair ends abruptly but years later, the two meet again. This time Michael is a law student while Hannah is defending herself for her activities as concentration camp guard. While attending the trials, he realises that she is holding back a secret that can help her.
Lady of the Camelias is a drama film which revolves around the story of a woman named Iphonsine, who grows up in absolute poverty, without a mother. Eventually, she goes to Paris, and manages to find work as a seamstress. She eventually ends up becoming the mistress of a young nobleman, but eventually she elopes to England with a Count. However, he eventually leaves her, after he realizes that married life is not for him.
Veteran Nazi-hunter Ezra Lieberman receives information about a group of former Nazis, led by infamous Dr. Josef Mengele, hatching some sinister plan in South America. Dr. Mengele, who has cloned Hitler 95 times, is raising them in Brazil to create the Fourth Reich. Determined to thwart the dreadful plan, Lieberman tracks down Mengele to confront him in the presence of a Hitler clone.
Based on real events, this German film revolves around the robberies, kidnappings, bombings as well as assassinations in the late 1960s and 1970s, conducted by a German terrorist group named The Red Army Faction.
Remember is a suspense drama film which tells the story of a holocaust survivor who is suffering from dementia. He decides to take revenge for the sufferings of his family.
Cassiel and Raphaella are two angels who observe the busy life around Berlin. Cassiel gets involved with the life of an 11-year-old girl whom he believes might be in some sort of trouble. However, things get complicated when he is detained by the police.
In this Polish drama film, a group of doctors who are attending a medical school reunion, discuss how communism has affected their lives.
After returning from Finland from his business trip, Bruno finds that his wife Marianne wants him to leave her alone with her son.
This drama film is about the story of a 31 year old designer who moves to Paris hoping to find work and fulfillment in life. However, she ends up in a world, where she feels alienated, and faces harassment and broken promises.
A serious car-accident leads Dr. Martin Harris to a coma. After waking up, no one recognizes him, he finds another man impersonating him, and assassins hunting him. With the help of taxi driver Gina, he uncovers he is an assassin and Martin Harris is just a persona. Martin redeems himself by saving Bressler the target of his assignation.
A Swiss professor who teaches philosophy, notices a young woman who is about to commit suicide, by jumping from a bridge. He decides to save her life, after which she accompanies him to the school where he teaches. However, she leaves in the middle of her class, without her coat. The professor decides to start searching for her, but in vain.
In order to celebrate her promotion, Janet hosts a party. Along with her best friend, some other friends arrive as well. However, things take a turn after an announcement by her husband, and the night doesn’t go as expected.
Gulf War veteran Major Bennett ‘Ben’ Marco starts looking into his past after experiencing vivid dreams. While investigating his friend, Sergeant First Class Raymond Shaw, now a senator, who was also part of the same mission, Marco unveils a conspiracy by elite politicians and the Manchurian Global corporation.
Luther is a historical drama film which revolves around the life of the idealistic German monk Martin Luther, who develops an intense dislike to the materialism in the church. His teachings eventually lead to the Protestant Reformation and the rise of Protestantism.
Sarah is an actress nearing 40, who invites her best friend of 16 years along with two younger women, to a vacation retreat. She talks about her life as well as her experiences with men.
This romantic drama film tells the story of Julien, a musician, who is willing to go to great lengths to get back his ex-wife. Driven by extreme hatred and jealousy, he tries to come up with a plan to put her new husband in jail, by getting him framed for a murder.
Dominic is an old professor of linguistics who is thinking of suicide. His life takes a turn when he is transformed into his younger self after being struck by lightning. With the Nazis hot on his pursuit, he travels the world attempting to understand the mysteries of life and love.
Michael Kohlhaas is a horse dealer living a good and happy life with his family in the 16th century. When a lord treats him unjustly, he decides to wage a war against him. He raises an army by himself just to have his rights restored.
A greedy Texas lawyer, desirous of more money to lead a lavish lifestyle with his girlfriend, gets involved in a perilous drug-smuggling deal. Despite warnings, he is confident that he knows all the angles of the game and will succeed. However, when the deal goes horribly wrong, The Counselor and his wife-to-be are in grave danger.
